iPads📱

I thought this, I ended up getting mine the Amazon fire tablets as I thought it would make my life easier whilst out and about, it actually made it worse! They are only just two I think if they were abit older it would be helpful xx

Honestly thinking of getting a portable dvd player for car journeys and that’s it, I don’t like using iPads but my girls are 3 and 1, I feel like it’s a slippery slope for addiction to it! How old are your little ones ? We always have sticker books and colouring in bag x

We have the amazon fire. We only use it for films on long car journey over 1hr or flights. We don’t allow it at any other time.

My eldest boy is 5 and he watches it for his down time/sensory as uses it for his tracing as doing any of it on paper never interested him now I've got him a tablet he's well away I think it depends on age ect xx

It was a life saver during lockdown as school/nursery was basically on the iPad. Plus my daughter’s speech therapy sessions were via zoom. It’s also helped her with reading, writing and spelling. We also did a 9hr flight which I don’t know how we would have managed without one.

My son uses his at times and plays games on it i dont limit it really but hell still play with his toys etc we dont eat out much i admit during the meal well give him a phone maybe only because he may have autism and adhd and cant sit for long periods of time i do try and use it as a last resort for this reason

We got it first for therapy speech and physio they had special apps for him to follow along with, and they really helped. During the lockdown, it was great for school and zoom/teams appointments even now. If we have to make an appointment via telehealth, it's very helpful. My son now has some games and streaming apps (Disney, Paramount, Netflix, etc) so he can watch some of his shows. But it's not a huge thing he plays with he does have a switch and other things he plays with more, but my son is a teenager, so I'm not sure if my answer is suited for you.

We have a tablet for household use, it's really my partners and he mostly uses it to watch the football and it comes on a holiday with us just by default, sometimes is used and sometimes is not. We never take it to restaurants/out and about. However my girl is 3.5 and she asks to play on it probs once a week, so I will usually let her have about an hour on a game we've agreed on (usually like a CBeebies game or learning games) but once she comes off of this she is an absolute nightmare child. Totally crazed and unregulated, demanding to go back on it and stuff, so absolutely no I would not get her one of her own. I let her go on it this minimal amount because I don't want her to be totally technology illiterate as she will need some computer/tablet skills for school works in future but wow I do not like the way it effects her so we do not use it most of the time and she will not be having a personal one. Same with laptop, she will just be using the household one for school work in future if needed.

Ah I don’t have a little one yet so it’s so hard to say and don’t want to judge at all. But I like to think that I wouldn’t use one when out and about as if I’m out with my children I want them to fully experience what we’re doing or where we’re eating, and talk and interact with them. I just don’t see how that’s possible when screens become increasing controlling and persistent in a young child’s life.

My girl had one and quickly became addicted to. She’d come home from nursery and before anything else she’d ask for the tablet. She woke up and asked for the tablet. She eats dinner and asks for the tablet. Now it’s for Sunday mornings when daddy and I clean the house. Tv is better if you need something because when you leave the room or house it’s off. I don’t know what we’ll do on long journeys but the tablet will be a very last resort now.

It’s a big no from me. I think used very sparingly, such as on flights, they aren’t a bad thing. But honestly I think it’s so wrong the amount of children and literal babies that are on tablets/ phones constantly whilst out in the world.

Yes it can be a slippery slope. But it doesn’t have to be if you stand firm with the rules around it. When you say it’s done, it’s done. And be consistent. My kids have the Amazon ones and they’ll go days without using it.

In moderation they are great

There is a time and place. We use it as a last resort kind of thing. We bring toys and play together but sometimes that just doesn’t work. Then we make a choice. Sometimes we leave and deal with it. Sometimes we stay and phone

my daughter only uses my ipad on long trips, and she doesn’t have any control over the screen. otherwise it’s a no for me

We have an iPad which is used for my 2yo when we fly or he would not sit down and would scream the whole flight! When we go for meals we don’t take it, we will take toys and order him a side of peas which he’ll play with for an hour 😂

If you’re going to a restaurant aren’t you supposed to be having fun with your family?! Get a baby sitter if you want a quiet meal with your other half. If you’re going to a restaurant with your child they should be involved in the conversation. My boy will not be getting an iPad. I’m not saying 0 screen time which is what he is on currently. But definitely not when we’re out and about. People should learn how to be a parent and not use iPads to keep their kids quiet.

I’m not letting my kids have screens (that includes tv) till after 2 years old. Just had my believe and nephew visit and my nephew (12) played on his phone the entire time. When he ate, when we were in the car, hanging out… it was constant. I feel like he wasn’t even here.

Im screen free because I have a toddler but with older kids moderation is the key. I personally don’t think Ipads are necessary in a restaurant because our job as parents is to teach our kids how to be in public and pick places that are age appropriate. Im not going to take my 18m to a restaurant that I know its extremely loud, full and that food takes forever. My son is all over the place but until now I never had to pop my phone in a restaurant. I carry a backpack full of quite toys, fidgets, puzzles, stickers, he will play with the salt packets and we eat just fine. Same for roadtrips, he has toys, we will make multiple stops, we sing adult songs and he sleeps. Allowing them to get bored encourages patience and creativity.

I don’t have experience with it myself yet but I’ve witnessed my friends 4yo go from happy go lucky all day long not an issue in the world and the second he gets on the iPad and wifi disconnects or it needs to charge or something of the sort it’s like his world has come crashing down. I think it’s slippery and should be devoted to specific times/places only.

Indifferent. We have a family iPad, we all take turns using it. I like watching Netflix on it, I’m doing it rn 😂

My stepson has his own learning tablet. It's not super exciting for him (and we're bad at charging it for him 😬), especially because he's into Bluey, Phineas and Ferb, and stop signs more than his tablet.

I bought my baby an ipad for learning. She getting taught two languages so shes got the green owl for kids, stuff about space, history, math and all types of other stuff. When she can finally use it, theres no youtube and she cant download unless she has a code.

I don’t own an ipad. when we are out at a restaurant, I prefer for no one at the table to use a device cuz it defeats the purpose of going out to eat lol

Rarely use it, feel like it was a waste of money